Housing Designations

All residential communities at Hampshire have designations regarding the cleanliness and quietness of their space, as well as the self-identified gender of the residents. Additionally, many students choose to live in residential communities based on social identities or common living and learning goals. For the dorms, these designations are set institutionally, and are unlikely to vary from year to year. With the exception of Permanent Identity-Based Mods, designations for the mods are set by the inhabitants, and so tend to change yearly.

Quietness

Members of the Hampshire community have the right to a quiet environment conducive to the ability to sleep, study, or socialize. All residences have 24-hour courtesy hours: no matter the hour of day or night, if you are asked by another resident to lower the noise level, you should make all reasonable effort to comply with the request. The use of amplified instruments and drums in the residences, indoor or outdoors, is prohibited. Campus-wide quiet hours begin at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Very quiet: Residents of very quiet halls may have brief, hushed conversations in the halls, but most socializing happens off the hall. Music played within a room cannot be heard through the closed door or walls and is most likely listened to with headphones.

Quiet: Residents of quiet halls might have passing conversations in the halls in a lowered voice, but most socializing happens in the lounge or in rooms. Music played within a room cannot be heard in the hallway if the door is shut.

Semi-quiet: Residents of semi-quiet halls are likely to have long conversations in the hallways in a normal speaking voice. Music played within the room may be heard in the hallway even if the door is shut.

Self-Identified Gender

Hampshire College housing has three options in terms of gender designation.

Women: For students who identify as women regardless of legal sex.

Men: For students who identify as men regardless of legal sex.

All-gender: For any students no matter how they identify with regards to gender.

Cleanliness

All students are responsible for the cleanliness of their living spaces. Students living in the mods choose the level of cleanliness they will maintain, and define exactly what that means to them in their mod contract. The choices are: very clean, clean, or casually clean.

Substance-Free Housing

Substance-free environments exist in all the housing areas, including several halls in Merrill and Dakin. A substance-free environment is a dorm floor or mod where all residents and their guests agree to keep their hall or mod free from substances at all times. Substances are defined to include alcohol, cigarettes, and other smoking materials as well as illicit drugs. While there is an expectation for the entire community to comply with all state, federal, and local regulations regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs, the substance-free housing option offers an additional measure of support for people who choose not to smoke, drink, or use other drugs. Students interested in this option must complete the Substance Free Housing contract in addition to their Housing Preference Form.